


That He Were Here to Write

by Mara



Category: Kamen Rider Kuuga
Genre: Alternate Universe, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-24
Updated: 2015-05-24
Packaged: 2018-04-01 00:32:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,415
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3999130
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mara/pseuds/Mara
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>At this point, Ichijou Kaoru is fairly sure his small press will go under within the year. Or he'll go insane. It's difficult to be certain which one is more likely.</p>
            </blockquote>





	That He Were Here to Write

**Author's Note:**

> Writer/editor AU, prompted by a pairing meme generator, aided and abetted by Revieloutionne (who I stole two ideas from).

"Ichijou!" The voice managed to echo even in the small, crowded offices of Linto Press. How exactly that worked when the room was essentially wall-to-wall books and papers was anybody's guess.

Ichijou rubbed his temples and pretended to ignore the way his assistants, Sakurai and Sasayama, grinned at him (the former) and smiled at the man who'd come through the door (Sasayama). "Tsubaki," he said. "I'm sure you've arrived with your completed manuscript on a thumb drive, right?"

Tsubaki blinked at him in the most sincere confusion. "What?"

"The manuscript you were supposed to have delivered _last week_?"

"Oh, that." Tsubaki waved a hand. "You'll get it. No, you've got to come have lunch with me so I can tell you about the most marvelous girl I met last night.

Out of the corner of his eyes, Ichijou could see both his assistants start glaring. "Only if you can give me something for this headache," he managed through gritted teeth.

"Hmm," Tsubaki said, lifting Ichijou's head and peering into his eyes. "You're working too hard, as usual. You need to get some rest. And less coffee."

"How can I rest when my authors are constantly running late?"

"Still harping on that? C'mon, let's have lunch."

"No." Ichijou sighed. "Have you heard from Godai?"

"Not since that call about treating dysentery last week."

"You're sure it wasn't him that was suffering?" Ichijou knew it was the hundredth time he'd asked that, but he couldn't help it.

"Moderately sure. You know how Godai can be."

Ichijou did. "If you don't have any useful news, then go away and let me work in peace. Even better, go home and work on your book. If we don't start the editing process soon, we'll miss the target date."

"Don't worry so much. The reading public can't resist medical mysteries and I've found some doozies for this book. It'll be fine."

Ichijou leaned back in his chair and just looked at his old friend until Tsubaki shrugged. "Your loss. I'll go have lunch on my own, then."

Out of long practice, Sakurai and Ichijou carefully ignored the longing sigh from Sasayama as the door closed behind Tsubaki.

Just as he was starting to focus back on his computer screen, there was a polite cough from Sakurai. "Er, boss?"

Ichijou took a moment to compose himself so he wouldn't snap at the other man. "Yes?"

"We've received another call about Dr. Enokida's book."

The headache doubled in size instantly. "Which government agency was it this time?"

"They...didn't exactly say." Sakurai shrugged. "I gave them the standard answer that nothing she was writing involved any government secrets and they seemed satisfied."

"Seemed."

"Well, you know."

He did. With a groan, he looked at the wall calendar. "The faster we can get her book out the door, the faster everyone will see it's a history of great female Japanese scientists and not...whatever it is they think it is."

"Um, are we sure?" Sasayama asked.

"I’m banking on the fact that if she wanted to expose a government conspiracy, she'd go to someone more powerful than us."

Sakurai and Sasayama both nodded in agreement. "What did she do for the government?" Sasayama asked.

"I don't want to know. I just want her to finish her book." With a groan, Ichijou turned back to the cookbook he was supposed to be finishing. But what in the _world_ was he supposed to do with all the completely bungled terms and references? This was what he got for trusting Godai's surrogate uncle.

But if Godai could cook, it had seemed reasonable to assume his uncle could too. Ichijou wondered if his head could actually explode from the ache. Fumbling out his giant book of business cards, he went looking for someone who knew enough about food to figure out what was wrong with this cookbook.

Of course, hiring someone else would cut seriously into his meagre profits for the book, but it was probably worth it if it kept Godai happy. And writing. Hopefully writing. Wherever he was.

Which reminded him that when the copy-edited pages went back to Godai, Ichijou had to remind him that "STET" shouldn't appear dozens of times on every page. 

Just once it would be nice to get a page back without a STET. One page, that was all. Was that too much to ask?

Ichijou spent a moment feeling sorry for himself before turning back to the computer. He'd find someone to deal with the cookbook, then he'd finish looking at the pitch from the elementary school teacher who wanted to write his memoir. The sample chapter looked good, but he wanted to take another look before he decided.

The phone rang and Ichijou ignored it as Sasayama answered it. His attention was drawn when she hung the phone up with slightly more force than necessary.

"Hmm?" he said.

"Ah, it was Sawatari."

Ichijou smiled, brightening. "And how are she and Sorrel coming along? I'm so glad two authors get me their work on time."

Sasayama's smile froze. "Um..."

"Don't tell me." Ichijou sighed. "The dog ate their computer?"

"Well, you know how Jean Michel has a crush on Dr. Enokida?"

Ichijou blinked. "What?"

She sighed. "Never mind. He does, okay?"

"Right."

Sakurai turned from his own computer. "You didn't notice?"

"Why would I—" Ichijou took a slow breath. "Please get to the point."

"Dr. Enokida and her son are taking a trip to Tokyo Disney this week."

Ichijou waited for this to make sense.

Sasayama sighed. "She's invited Jean Michel to go with them. And Sawatari decided this was a good time to spend with Minori so..."

"Their manuscript is going to be late as well."

"Yes." Sasayama looked relieved that he'd understood finally.

"I see." With great care, he turned back to his computer. He finished rereading the teacher's memoir sample and prepared a contract. His assistants tiptoed around him until it was time to go home, at which point they left at top speed.

Ichijou worked his way through various menial tasks he'd been avoiding, items that required just enough of his brain that he would be distracted.

Deleting what felt like his millionth e-mail, Ichijou finally gave up, putting his elbows on the desk and face in his hands. His headache was now a dull roar. He should probably get some dinner and go home to his empty apartment and get some sleep so he could get up in the morning and do this all over again.

It wasn't a particularly appealing thought.

The sound of the office door opening was probably a hallucination. Or a burglar, but they were going to be sorely disappointed here, he thought with mild amusement, not even bothering to lift his head.

"Ichijou?"

His head shot up and he stared in shock at Godai, who was grinning broadly as he dropped a backpack by the door, weaving his way around the other desks toward him. "You. Are you—"

And then Godai was pulling his chair back from the desk and leaning over to kiss him and he was real and he was there. Ichijou grabbed his shoulders and pulled him closer, not wanting to take a chance on him escaping again.

The kiss went on for a long time, although it would never be enough, Ichijou thought through the haze. Finally, Godai pulled back. "You've been working too hard again."

"You talked to Tsubaki?"

"No," Godai said with a laugh. "I know you. Also, you're still in the office when it's pitch black outside."

Ichijou couldn't help smiling back. "Ah."

"Do you still need to be here or can we go home?"

It sounded a lot more appealing now. "We can go home."

Stepping back, Godai held out a hand and pulled Ichijou to his feet. "Good. I've got a lot to tell you about my trip."

Ichijou nodded, unable to take his eyes off the other man.

"Oh, should I leave the manuscript here or do you want it at home?"

Ichijou blinked. "It's done?"

"Well, yeah. I mean, mostly done. Needs to be typed up, of course."

"Of course," Ichijou echoed.

"I promised I'd be back with it, didn't I?" Godai gave him a thumbs-up. "I'm only about a week late."

Blinking back tears, Ichijou pulled a slightly startled Godai into a hug. 

"Um, Ichijou?"

"Never mind," Ichijou said into his shoulder. "Leave it here. I'll deal with it in the morning. Let's go home now."

"Okay."

\--end--


End file.
